Archive for August 2006
Katrina claims – revisited
With the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the handling of Katrina claims continues to be in the news. Tonight’s episode of 20/20 will feature the claims of two former State Farm insurance adjusters who believe State Farm committed fraud in the handling of Katrina claims. Among other things, the adjusters allege that State Farm hid engineering…
Read MoreFrivolous Lawsuit Defenses
Tort reform advocates are always quick to point blame for frivolous lawsuits. But they never address frivolous defenses — unnecessary conduct by defendants that drive up the costs of all litigation. But one case last week is making some news and shedding light on some of these abuses. On August 18, 2006, Judge Leonard Davis, …
Read MorePattern of Greed
Following up our post on Trent Lott, the insurance industry’s conduct in relation to Hurricane Katrina continues to be in the news. Yesterday, the grassroots group People Over Profits released their report Pattern of Greed: How Insurance Companies Put Profits Over Policyholders. The report outlines the group’s complaints about how the insurance companies handled claims…
Read MorePregnancy Discrimination
As a result of a large settlement by Verizon, pregnancy discrimination has been a hot topic in the legal and popular press over the last few months. While most employers are aware that they can’t discriminate based on age, sex, or race, many employers and employees are unaware of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, an amendment…
Read MoreSpine University
Many of our personal injury and medical malpractice clients suffer from some type of back issues. An orthopedic group has set up an online Spine University that provides a wealth of information that clients might find helpful. The site includes information on the structure of the back, tests, and medical care for various back conditions…
Read MoreThe Life of a Trial Lawyer
Today, the whole firm feels like the bride that was left stranded at the alter. We were supposed to start a three week trial yesterday. It is a complicated case, originally filed in September 2004, with over 10,000 documents exchanged between the parties. We have all (attorneys and staff) cut summer vacations short and worked feverishly to…
Read MoreMedication Errors
Study after study shows the frequency of medical errors. However, a recent study by the Institute of Medicine brought to light the alarming rate of medication errors. According to the study, medication errors affect more than 1.5 million Americans annually, killing thousands. The rate of error was particularly surprising in hospitals. The report found that…
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